Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-07-28
"THE KINGS DAUGHTERS"
A SlSTERHooD FOR THE PROMO
TloN OF BENEVOLENT WORKS.

llON OF bENGNOIENi UOnNO.
Remarkable Growth of the Ordcr-A
Feminine Counterpart of Rev. Edward
Everett HaIe's LEND n Hand Socie-
ties-Thc Good Work Accomplished.
Ten ladies belonging to New York and
its immediate vicinity met one morning in
January, 1886, at the residence of
Methodist clergyman, whose wife has long
been conspicuous as leader and speaker
in meetings of religious character, and
as connected with evangelistic work, For
several winters this lady, Mrs. Margaret
Bottome, has given what are called bible
Talks in private drawing rooms for the
benefit of society women. These morning
''talks" have been so popular that she has
been invited to address audiences Of the
same character in Washington, philadel-
phia, Brooklyn, and other cities. With
rare power of observation, n Keen intelli-
gence, and thorough earnestness, Mrs.
Bottome has made many friends, and
when the ladies above alluded to gathered
at her residence to perfect certain plans
for benevolent work during the impend-
ing season she suggested that they should
then and there form themselves into
sisterhCod, taking the name ''Fhc Kings
Daughters, " from the forty-fifth Psalm,
where tho daughters are described as
call glorious within.n This suggestion
found immediate favor All those pres
ent were familiar with the touching origin
of the Lend Hand society," which pos
sibly some of our readers arc not nc
quainted with and which it may be well
to repeat here as far as necessary.
THE "LEND A HAND"
A few years ago the Rev. Edward r.
Hale, of Boston, went to n suburban town
to attend the funeral services of one of his
parishioners, a dear friend and man of
noble character. Several members of his
church were with him, and all were de-
tanned by railway accident at n way sta
ton. Naturally they talked of the de-
ceased his virtues, his charities and ex-
cellent methods of distributing his wealth
in benevolent work. Mr.. Hale had the
happy thought of perpetuating the MEM
ory of thier mutual friend by organizing "A
society, a brotherhood to carry on his good
works and for the promotion of all kindly
deeds to their fellow men. There were
just ten of them present, including Mr..
Hale, and so he called it the ''Ten So
ciety" and "Lend a Hand. >" Whatever
they undertook, it should be I'm His
Name" and their motto should be:
Look up and not down,
Look forward and not back;
Look out and not in,
And Lend Hand.
The "Ten" could form other ITEMS"
and so on, for any form of benevolcnco.
Today it may be mentioned, in passing,
this society or brotherhood extends around
the globe, and publishes magazine, Lend
Hand, in its interests. of which Dr. Hale
-, fla ha Iva II -
these facts, Mrs. Bottome and her friends
formed their sisterhood, taking the same
motto, and for the main taking the same
methods. They added, however, the wear
ing of badge, q small silver cross of the
Maltese form, signifying perfect love,
tied with a set of purple ribbons, signify
ing royalty. Each of the ten ladies agreed
to take some special mission, and each
formed ''Ten'' to carry it out. These
''Tens'' multiplied rapidly, and on stated
occasions reported progress to the head
center, Mrs. Bottome. There were formed
comforting 'FTens'' to visit hospital pa
tients, to read to them and supply certain
luXuries not allowed by the authorities.
Numbers of these unfortunates have been
given the little cross, and some have died
after being ennobled with this order.
Other Tens have gone to the poorest
tenement houses to visit the sick and
dying, while some of the sisterhood have
taken up the wrongs of working girls and
have been kindly interested in shop girls.
Indeed, there is hardly form of benevo-
lence that has not been adopted by "The
Kings Daughters. Each little coterie
or "Ten' has its president, its secretary
and treasurer, and all the central presi-
dent, with the original officers as her as
sistants.
A REMARKABLE SHOWING.
The first annual meeting of the society
held very recently at the hall of the
Young Ladies' Christian association